myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

I am currently compiling a medical kit which will require a whole suitcase. Forgive me if this question has been asked before, but has anyone tried the insect repellant armbands which you wear on wrists and ankles? They sound more convenient than sprays etc. (Although my teenage kids would probably rather get bitten than use them)
From what I've read, the sand fleas sound worse than the mossies!
I'm enjoying browsing previous postings; if the people we meet on Tobago are half as " off the wall" as you lot seem to be, we'll have a great time!
Best wishes,
Carol
PS How did I become a groupie?

Hi Carol

I don't know about "off the wall" - I think some of them are downright off the ceiling.

Can't help re the armbands - didn't even know they existed, to be honest. Sounds to me like they would make a wonderful landing strip for the mossies. I'm with your kids on this. Mind you, if you pay a visit to the Turtle Beach they might be taken as an all-inclusive armband and get you a free meal.

Yes, to be honest the poor old mossie gets blamed for bites, even when most of them are actually from sand flies. See our article (menu: Odds & Sods/Health & Safety/Insects & Nasties) for advice on the best way to deal with them all.

How did you become a groupie? Check to make sure all your garments are still in situ.

Hi Carol

I haven't tried the wristbands but this year while in Grenada I did try the mix of citronella oil & lavender oil mixed together, as suggested on this forum, & this is the first year that we came home bite free. Next year when we return to Tobago we will try it again in the hope that it also keeps the tobagonian insects away.

Donna

Hi Carol

I haven't tried the wristbands but I can recommend Boots own insect repellant in a grey roll on plastic container. It contains 50% deet so just apply a little round your wrists, ankles, knees, neck etc. I normally get bitten to pieces but this stuff seemed to do the trick for me. The odd nip I did get was quickly "zapped" by a Zanza-click which stops the itch. Can't remember where I got it from but you can see this gadget on http://www.ecobrands.co.uk .

Have a great time

Hi Carol

I haven't tried the wristbands but I can recommend Boots own insect repellant in a grey roll on plastic container. It contains 50% deet so just apply a little round your wrists, ankles, knees, neck etc. I normally get bitten to pieces but this stuff seemed to do the trick for me. The odd nip I did get was quickly "zapped" by a Zanza-click which stops the itch. Can't remember where I got it from but you can see this gadget on http://www.ecobrands.co.uk .

Have a great time

Tried the wristbands with great success - to the point that I forgot it one night and was attacked in a way I wasn't without it.

In short it's clearly daubed in something they like not the smell of - that said It smelt of nothing that I could detect.

(just to be sure mine was a stretchy band in yellow and blue stripes - handy as my team play in that!).

Mmmm,plenty of Brenton's rum punch applied internally works also!I think it's because you are anaesthetised-so you don't feel a thing!
Seriously,citronella and a "carrying oil/lotion" seems to work with most people.It is also very low cost as you can buy the ingredients and make your own(but be careful 1to 3 drops of citronella to a 100ml of oil).
David(not itching,but itching to be back in Tobago )

Thanks for all your replies.
David, I never thought about applying something INternally.........
Carol

Do you get the citronella from health food shops or is it available in Boots, Superdrug etc??

Just got back complete with bites - Mozzie's no problem and Deet works well to deter them, but I tried all sorts of other sprays including ones bought locally and one containing citronella and lavender and was still bitten every day by sand flies.

I read all the advice before I went and thought I'd got what I needed - didn't try making up my own solution though.

Would like to get this sorted for when I got back next time



Caragh

Hi Caragh

I got my citronella & lavender oils from Holland & Barrett. Hope it works for you!

Donna

Hi,

I think the bands you are looking for are called mosibands and you can get them through this website. http://www.ultratrim.co.uk

Hope this helps.
Amanda

Flying out on the 9th and have decided to try everything: armbands, citronella, Boots insect repellant...not all at once! Though maybe for the rainforest! Not forgetting tiger balm, Anthisan, Zanza click...
Overkill? You bet! Back in April my foot swelled up like a balloon following a walk by the Thames wearing leather boots, and I never felt a thing! At the moment I am sporting a large red lump on my leg from sitting in the garden, so I ain't taking no chances!
Cheers Carol

You'll be there the same time as us Carol. We hope you are going to Castara, as with all the stuff you're taking perhaps the whole area will become a mozzie-free zone during your stay!

Hi Carol

If you are still reading the forum after your holiday how did you get on with all your insect repellants???

We are going in December and I want to be well prepared as I too get attacked easily! I read somewhere (not sure if it was on here, in fact it may have been you that said it) that eating marmite keeps the mossies away!

Also did you have a nice time?!

Carole

Hello Fellow Carole!
You spell your name with an E - you must be posher than me
I have an (undeserved) reputation for spending every spare minute on this site, though I admit you will see my name cropping up from time to time.
To answer your last question first, my whole family had a wonderful time!
Re the little biting beasties, I would say the sandflies are worse than the mossies. I felt the ambands did work against flying things, but would only work on the sandflies if you wear them on your ankles, which I couldn't do as my legs were swollen.
My advice would be to start taking anti hystamines before and during your visit, something I left a little late. I don't think anything I tried stopped the sandflies. The trouble is you put repellant on, go in the sea, it washes off and then you have to try and re apply it on damp, sandy skin.
The veterans here can give you loads of advice, as can the locals. The beasts tend to bite more in the wet season (when we went),the evenings and after rain. I was assured by one of the locals ( who were all most interested, and sympathetic, towards my legs) that I would be OK when the sun was out, which seems to have been true.
I would recommend Zanza click to stop the itch as soon as you find a bite, and some cream at night to stop the itch so you don't scratch in your sleep, which is a real problem. I used Anthisan and Tiger Balm. I think Anthisan is better. The worst thing for me was that I came out in blisters. Several of the locals told me to burst them, which I was worried about doing at first because I was afraid of infection, but in the end I did, and was glad I did. If you get blisters, burst them immediately before they get too big. One of mine had a one and half inch diameter and stood proud of my foot by about the same amount! Take some Melolin dressing with you just in case.
My goodness how I go on

Anyway, the main thing is, it didn't stop me doing anything, not even a walk in the rainforest, and a dip in the Caribbean is very soothing for sore blisters.
Enjoy yourself. I want to go back.NOW!
Cheers
Carol
PS. Didn't try Marmite

Carol,

Don't bother trying Marmite. Eat it if you enjoy it - but it won't keep the wee beasties off. (Mind you I didn't try external application - but then I don't really fancy walking round smothered in brown goo!!)

Can I just remind everyone to check that zanza click is suitable for them to use. There are certain medical conditions ie epilepsy, which definitely mean that this device shuold not be used - and I believe that some varients of this technology are dangerous for those who have pacemakers too.

I've always found calamine cream to be really good for soothing and stopping itching of bites - but each to their own.

Jane

I find internal application of White Oak eases the irritation!
David

David Watkins wrote:I find internal application of White Oak eases the irritation!
David

David,

I've been reading bits and pieces around the site for a while now and I sense a certain 'theme' in your posts!!!

Patrick

As a local once did tell me, "some of us prefer to use rum on the skin to work from outside to inside, some prefer to drink the rum to work from inside to outside"...

Ronald